To Look Beyond the Mask (PART 2)
by tweetzone86
Summary: "Your people had their home stolen and their people killed. They were forced to wander starving in exile, reduced to blacksmiths. They were rejected by elves and scorned by men. Now your uncle tries to reclaim your homeland and seek justice for the wrongs committed against your people. I don't care if you are elves, hobbits, humans, or dwarves. I WILL not stand for injustice."
1. Chapter 1

_**I do not own any of the characters or The Hobbit (just the AU storyline and my OC) Those are the work of the esteemed and brilliant John Ronald Reuel Tolkien, and without his genius, this and many other fan fics would not be in existence. **_

_**Please review, favorite and follow- I love them! They keep me encouraged :D **_

_****Warning- graphic wound description in this chapter****_

_**AUTHOR'S NOTE- PLEASE READ (there won't be many of these, I promise ;) This is part TWO of TLBTM. New readers will likely be VERY confused if they don't read part one first lol ;) You can either find part one on my author's profile, or use this link (delete the spaces- they were necessary so FF wouldn't delete it):**_

_** ww w . fanfiction s/9506482/1/To-Look-Beyond-the-Mask-Part-1-Part-2-coming-soon**_

_**For my current followers- in celebration of my jury duty being canceled, and finding that I don't have to host Christmas (though I'm still making quite a bit of food to bring), I got this up early! Enjoy! :D**_

Thorin's eyes widened in surprise as Gloin reached Cirashala first, concern in his gaze. The fiery haired dwarf immediately knelt beside the prone form and gently brushed his fingers across her forehead, eliciting several surprised looks from the other members of the company. His frown deepened at the heat that emanated from her face.

"She's burning up" he said quietly as he looked up at the dwarf king. The unusual change in the normally hostile dwarf's countenance toward the young woman caused the surrounding company's eyes to widen considerably in astonishment. Oin knelt next to him and repeated the action, nodding affirmatively at his brother's conclusion.

"Aye, she has a fever," the healer confirmed. "A high one."

Concern mingled with guilt as the dwarves, wizard and hobbit stared at the unconscious woman on the floor. It didn't even take half a heartbeat for them to realize that, in their joy and relief to see Kili alive, they'd completely forgotten about their newest companion.

"But how can she have a fever if she's so cold?" Bilbo asked, the hobbit kneeling down on her other side as his own hand rested on her shoulder. He looked worriedly at the ginger haired dwarf, then at Oin. "She feels half frozen. Is she ill?"

Images suddenly flashed in Thorin's mind as he stared at the unconscious woman, of leather and blade striking flesh as blood curdling screams sounded through a fire lit cavern, of goblins cackling with glee as crimson blood dripped down on filthy wooden planks, of a deathly pale face and ripped tunics. Realization dawned in his features, and his own face drained of blood.

Knowing Dwalin held the young prince in a tight grip and would not let him fall, the elder quickly released his own hold on his nephew's arm. Rushing to the young woman's side without a word, the dwarf king shoved himself between Gloin and the healer, knocking the former out of the way as he began to yank the woolen tunic out of her belt. Bilbo's eyes grew wide as he tried to stop him but to no avail.

"Thorin, what on earth-" he began, but the dwarf king cut him off as he yanked up the tunic, exposing her back. The bandages wrapped around her torso were filthy and blackened with dried blood as angry red skin peeked above them, and Thorin's eyes widened as his fears were confirmed.

"Mahalu-me turg," he breathed. A loud gasp sounded behind him, and the dwarf king spun around to behold at a very ashen Kili, the young dwarf looking over his shoulder at the bandaged wounds.

The younger's eyes were wide with horror and fear as he stared at Cirashala's back, his face nearly devoid of color. Fili had moved to stand beside his brother after Thorin had released him, his eyes also wide with realization. Thorin glanced at Kili, then at Cirashala, quickly realizing who must have originally wrapped the wounds in question.

It wasn't the first time that Kili had dealt with a wound on his own. The young dwarf had been rather awkward when he first started weapons training, the heavy axes and hammers of the dwarves being too much for the young, thin lad. He had tried many a time to hide a cut here or a gash there from accidental training mishaps from both his mother and uncle, claiming that Oin had tended them after the incidents, but the rather clumsy bandaging always gave it away. The dwarf king shot to his feet and turned toward the lad.

"Kili," he said quickly, urgency in his tone. "Were her wounds cleaned after Goblin Town?" The younger didn't respond as he continued to stare at her, his breaths coming quickly as his expression filled with panic. Thorin frowned.

"Kili!" he repeated much more loudly, causing the younger to jump a bit. Blue eyes met fear filled brown. "_Were her wounds cleaned_?" Kili nodded shakily, tears pricking the corner of his eyes.

"A-aye," he stammered, face reddening at the memory. "I-I was the only one who...I did what I could, b-but I-I didn't have any medicine, only water, a-and-" Thorin cut him off.

"When did you clean them last?" he asked, and Kili swallowed heavily as his tear-filled eyes widened.

"That first night," he whispered, voice cracking as he realized her back had been forgotten due to his illness and injury. "She-she never said anything about it after, just that it stung a few times but she insisted it was fine. A-and we ran out of bandages." Thorin's eyes widened, and he turned back toward the young woman.

"Her wounds are infected," he said slowly, glancing at Oin. The healer looked confused as he glanced toward Gloin, his ear trumpet having been smashed in the goblin tunnels, and his brother quickly repeated what the dwarf king said more loudly. Oin's gaze moved back toward Thorin as he nodded grimly.

"Aye," the healer agreed. "Badly."

A slight shout from Dwalin and Fili sounded behind him, and the dwarf king turned to see what little color remained in Kili's face disappear completely as he suddenly broke away from the burly dwarf. Stumbling toward the corner by the door, the young prince fell to his hands and knees and began to retch, the sharp sounds intermingling with nasty coughs as he began to be sick.

Fili was right on his heels, dropping down and rubbing circles between the younger's shoulder blades with his uninjured arm like their mother did when they were young. Kili cried out in pain after he was done vomiting as his coughs increased in intensity, clawing his chest as he doubled over, and Thorin's eyes widened.

"Kili?" Fili cried out, panic in the elder's eyes. "Kili, what's wrong?"

"R-ribs," the younger gasped between coughs as his pained gaze met his brother's. "Broken...stitches..." Fili's eyes widened.

"What?" he asked, worry and confusion in his tone.

"Did he say _stitches_?" Nori asked from the back of the group, turning toward his elder brother, the younger having stopped short in his appointed task when Cirashala fainted. Dori nodded.

"Aye, he did," he replied, looking toward Thorin. His questioning gaze matched the other twelve, and Thorin immediately jumped into action.

"Oin, you tend to Kili," he ordered quickly, the tone of his voice leaving no room for argument. "Bombur, get as many kettles as you can find and boil some water quickly. Dori, find some cloth and start cutting bandages. Dwalin, you and Balin help Kili toward the fire."

The dwarf king continued to direct the others, ordering blankets and dry clothing to be found for the pair, food to be made and for their muddy things to be washed. The various members of the company immediately moved to fulfill their tasks without hesitation. Turning toward the unconscious woman, the dark haired dwarf gently scooped her up in his arms, before turning toward the wizard.

"Gandalf," he said quietly, before glancing toward the washroom off to the side of the dining room. Returning his gaze toward the wizard, the dwarf king took a deep breath.

"I'm going to need your help."

XXX

Gandalf quickly followed Thorin into the washroom situated off the dais, grabbing two blankets off the top of the stack in Bilbo's arms on the way as the hobbit emerged from the end of the stable area with the bedding the dwarves had been using since their arrival three days prior.

As the trio entered the small room, the wizard tied one of the woven blankets across the open doorway to afford them some privacy in their task. Turning to survey the area, his gaze landed on the various clay jars nestled on the shelves to the left, then the wooden water bucket perched atop the stationary washbasin.

Striding forward, the wizard began to rifle through the contents of the crockery, hoping there were some herbs he could use in his healing. Behind him, Thorin gently laid Cirashala on the floor on her stomach, no table in the great skinchanger's house being short enough to accommodate his smaller stature. He gazed down at her wounds, a slight unpleasant scent emanating from them, then back up at Gandalf.

"What powers of healing do you have?" he asked as the taller knelt on the opposite side of the prone form, a crock of honey in his hands. Gandalf shook his head, regret in his features.

"I am afraid that my power is limited in that regard," he said quietly. "I can wake someone from unconsciousness or put them to sleep if I need to, I can draw an evil taint out, and I know a great deal about elvish healing methods and spells. However, I do not have the ability to grant life, nor prevent its loss if it is meant to be. Only one has the power to do so, and He has not gifted me with that ability."

Thorin nodded, looking down at the young woman with concern. As much as he hated elves, he did not deny that their healing powers and knowledge far surpassed any other, including the healing methods of his own people. He'd scoffed at the notion once, but Oin had been quick to correct him, and the old healer wasn't overly fond of the tall, ethereal beings either.

"What do you need?" he asked, and the wizard glanced at Thorin's boot, where the handle of a blade tucked inside was just visible.

"Cut off her bandages first," he replied, rising to his feet and grabbing the wooden bucket from the basin. "Take care-they might be stuck to her wounds. If they are, they will need to be soaked off."

The dwarf king nodded, drawing his knife from the hidden sheath as Gandalf ducked under their improvised door, bucket in hand. Carefully sliding the sharp blade under the bottom edge of the filthy strips, he took a breath and began cutting.

As the angry marks from the goblin whips and Kili's knife became fully visible, the dwarf king stilled his hand as he swallowed thickly. Greenish pus seeped out of the long, thin cuts, the scent stronger now that they were out in the open air. He had feared this ever since the sound of goblin shrieks reached his ears right after they'd fallen into the dark tunnels.

He was no stranger to the atrocities that befell goblin prisoners. He'd seen the carnage back at Azanulbizar, as well as found the remains of dwarves here or there that had fallen victim to their onslaught in raids. He was also quite aware of what happened to female prisoners, and it was not something he ever wished to witness. And though he had seen and experienced more than most of their company in his lifetime, aside from Balin and Dwalin, every single dwarf in their group had fought to keep her gender hidden in those tunnels.

_And yet, she still revealed herself, screamed at him and insulted him, _Thorin thought to himself in frustration. _What in Middle-earth was she thinking?! Doesn't she know what they would have done to her had they had more time?_

Her words outside Rivendell suddenly came to mind. _I swear I will protect each and every one of you with my life. _

The dwarf king stared down at her muddied face, before gently sliding the bandages out from underneath her torso, discarding the soiled linen in a heap.

"You foolish, reckless girl," he whispered, shaking his head in wonder despite his irritation at her actions over a week prior. _She actually kept her word._

A slight knock sounded on the doorjamb, breaking Thorin from his musings.

"Thorin?" Gloin asked, slipping under the blanket quickly so as to not leave it open longer than necessary. The ginger haired dwarf's arms held a bundle of bandages, and he stepped over to his cousin and laid them down on the ground next to him. Glancing at the young woman's wounds, the merchant sighed.

"They're pretty bad all right," he said quietly, looking toward Thorin. The dwarf king nodded, glancing toward the makeshift door.

"Where is Gandalf?" he asked, turning toward his cousin. "I need his help." The ginger dwarf gestured toward the doorway.

"He's looking for more honey," the merchant replied. "Apparently Kili needed some too, and he can't go outside until Beorn is, erm, back to his _normal _self."

Thorin nodded, before glancing back down at the unconscious girl on the floor. His eyes trailed over the mud spattered on her arms, face, hair and legs from their fall off the horse, and he swallowed thickly as he realized that it wasn't just her wounds that needed cleaning. By Durin, he hadn't seen, let alone bathed, a female since his sister Dis was but a wee bairn!

"Thorin?" The dwarf king turned toward him, their gazes meeting, and Gloin nodded in understanding at the rare apprehensive look in his eyes.

"I am married, cousin," the merchant said softly, grasping Thorin's shoulder reassuringly. "Don't you worry-I'll clean her up. 'Tis nothing I haven't seen before."

Thorin looked at his cousin for a moment before nodding, gratefulness in his gaze. The pair glanced up as Gandalf set a wooden bucket filled with water next to them, along with a bar of lye soap, a clean cloth, and another blanket.

"You will need to wash her wounds very thoroughly," the wizard explained, straightening up. "Open them up, and rinse them until they are clear of pus." Reaching up to brush his hair out of his eyes, the taller being sighed.

"Thorin, you will need to make a choice which wounds will be tended tonight," Gandalf stated, frustration clear in his features. "There isn't enough honey harvested for both of them, and Beorn has not yet returned from his task."

"Fili's wounds have already been tended," the dwarf king replied, and Gloin shook his head.

"Not Fili," the merchant replied. "Kili."

Thorin's gaze widened as his head turned toward his cousin, face paling.

"What?" he replied, rising to his feet. "How badly is Kili wounded?" Gloin stood up quickly as well, holding up his hand as Thorin tried to pass him.

"His aren't infected," Gandalf spoke up, causing the dwarf king to pause. "But they will need tending soon at least." Thorin looked back up at the wizard, then down to the young woman's prone form.

"You said his wounds aren't infected?" Thorin asked, fixing Gandalf with a pointed stare. The wizard shook his head.

"No they are not," he replied. Thorin glanced toward the door, and the wizard immediately moved to step in between him and it. "And I wouldn't advise going outside until Beorn has returned if you value your life, and the lives of everyone else here." The dwarf king sighed, looking back down at her. Gaze moving to Gloin, the elder nodded to him.

"Gloin, help Gandalf," he said quietly, and his cousin nodded. "Use the honey for her wounds."

"Go see to Kili," he replied quietly in turn, clapping his hand on Thorin's shoulder. "I will take care of this."

XXX

Bilbo set the stack of blankets down beside the young princes before straightening back up. The hobbit couldn't help the relief that settled in his heart at the sight of Kili's dark head nestled on his brother's chest with his forehead next to Fili's cheek, the elder using himself as a pillow while Oin tended the younger's wounds.

The old healer had removed Kili's soiled armor and clothing as the other dwarves bustled in and out with the tasks Thorin had given them, quickly replacing it with a few woolen blankets over his shivering form for both warmth and modesty. The sight of the slightly bloody bandages wrapped around the young dwarf's torso and arms, along with his black and yellow left shoulder and the misaligned ribs visible underneath his skin, had caused a collective gasp from several members of the company.

Fili especially had been very concerned, but the younger dwarf was unable to answer his questions until warmth had settled back into his bones, coughs punctuating every attempt at speech. Once he was clean, the healer had all but buried him and Fili under the blankets until the younger no longer shivered.

The young prince had begun to feel his lids grow heavy, the soothing, familiar sound of his brother's heartbeat next to his ear, along with the crackling fire beside him lulling him to sleep, when the sound of his uncle's voice caused him to suddenly jerk awake.

"Kili, what happened?" Several eyes turned toward Thorin, whose worried gaze flickered between Kili's chest and his pale face as Oin revealed his wounds, intending to set the misaligned bones now that he was warm. He gestured toward the gashes. "The fall might have caused the other injuries, but it wouldn't have caused those cuts."

Kili opened his mouth to answer, but cried out as Oin began to work. Gasping in pain, he looked up at his uncle.

"A-a lynx," he whispered. A strangled cry emanated from his throat as the second break was set. "Caught us by s-surprise."

"Why didn't you kill it?" Fili asked, waiting until after Oin finished setting the breaks so the younger could answer. A slight whimper escaped Kili's lips as the healer began to wrap his torso.

"I-it jumped on me," he replied, tired eyes fluttering closed for a second before jerking back open. "Knocked...my knife out of my hand."

"Where was Cirashala when this happened?" Thorin asked, jaw tightening a bit as he studied the gashes and bite marks slowly disappearing under the fresh bandages. Kili's brow furrowed as though he were trying to recall a lost memory.

"She...tried to find it," Kili whispered after a moment, struggling to keep his eyes open. "I-I was screaming at her to get it."

"Why didn't she?" Balin asked quietly, confusion in his tone. Kili's brow furrowed in thought again.

"She...couldn't find it in the bushes," he said slowly, his mind a bit hazy as he fought to remember what happened amidst the screams and blood of the attack. "She grabbed a branch and...knocked it off of me."

"A branch?" Dwalin asked, a surprised look on his face, and he nodded.

"She kept hitting it and growling at it," he murmured, eyes fluttering again. "I...got the little girl in the tree..."

"What little girl?" Ori asked as he finished washing Kili's dirty clothing in a large washbasin by the fire, sharing a confused look with his middle brother.

"Freida..." Kili whispered, before his eyes drifted shut. The young dwarf's head suddenly lolled on his brother's shoulder, and Fili's eyes widened in alarm.

"Kili?" he cried, shaking his shoulder, and the younger startled with a sharp intake of breath.

"S'ry, Fee," he mumbled, before a large yawn escaped him. "So...tired..." The young prince's eyes drifted shut once more as his slightly congested breaths quickly evened out, the coughing fit finally dissipating. The dark haired dwarf lad instinctively nestled his face under his brother's chin just as Bombur brought some vegetable broth and bread for him, causing the ginger haired dwarf to pause. The rotund dwarf looked at the now still lad, before glancing toward Thorin in confusion.

"Let him sleep," Thorin said quietly as he took in the state of his youngest nephew. His gaze softened. "He's exhausted."

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**A response to guest reviewer Kaia- I'm glad :D I am sorry your heart hurts, but at the same time I'm glad that the emotions that the characters are feeling are real to the reader- that tells me that I am writing them well :) **

**A response to guest reviewer guest- Yup- they finally are :) I'm glad you enjoyed part 1 so much! I'm glad to give you part 2 now, and look forward to your thoughts on it! :D I hope I didn't make your blood pressure skyrocket too much lol ;) Glad to hear that it was suspenseful and intense as I'd hoped it would be. I'm glad you like it, and think of it as an adventure- that was my goal as well :D I have been concerned that I was doing it a bit slow, but it is nice to hear that I am managing to balance the character moments with action, excitement and adventure- it's not easy to do! Thank you for the lovely review :D**

**Many thanks to all who review, favorite, and follow- you guys have been awesome! :D :D :D **


	2. Chapter 2

_**I do not own any of the characters or The Hobbit (just the AU storyline and my OC) Those are the work of the esteemed and brilliant John Ronald Reuel Tolkien, and without his genius, this and many other fan fics would not be in existence. **_

_**Please review, favorite and follow- I love them! They keep me encouraged :D**_

_**P.S.- I am SO sorry that this update has been long in coming. Between medication shifts for a chronic illness and dealing with three weeks of an unnamed virus that sends me into nasty coughing fits (I now pity my poor Kili more than ever!), and now adding a nasty cold and possibly a sinus infection on top of it (despite being on antibiotics for ten days), and trying to keep up with the work of preparing for homeschooling in the fall, cleaning my house, getting ready for gardening, sewing, etc- I'm falling asleep at 9 pm instead of midnight completely exhausted! It's a good thing, as I also struggle with a sleep disorder, however it's cut into my writing time something fierce. Plus, I have trouble writing when I hear children's music/movies in the background and can't get my brain into Middle-earth...at any rate, I hope you forgive the delay, I have NOT abandoned the story, and please as always continue to review! 35 reviews last chapter- it's a record! :D :D :D**_

Nori swallowed heavily as Kili's eyes shut, the small assortment of clothing in his arms seemingly becoming heavier as he stood by his king.

It hadn't taken the company long to fulfill the tasks Thorin had given them. Having the lost members of their group returned alive had given them all a bit more hope than before, and their concern for their injured companions showed in the speed with which they had been taken care of.

Dori was sitting off to the side on what Nori supposed was a low milking stool for the skinchanger, but easily lifted his elder brother's feet off the ground. Slight sounds of ripping were still being heard over the crackling fire as he tore more muslin strips for extra bandages. Bombur was filling giant bowls with the vegetable broth he had made and placing them on the great table with Bilbo's help, a savory smelling addition to the supper that had been momentarily forgotten in their haste.

Bilbo had brought nearly all the blankets he could find, save for the ones adorning the impossibly large bed tucked into an alcove in the wall, and was now sitting on the tall bench nibbling on a warm roll dipped in broth as he aided the rotund dwarf. His gaze continually flickered between the doorway where the young woman had been taken and the slumbering young prince, deep concern for his hurt friends evident.

Ori had managed to find a washbasin and washboard, and was earnestly scrubbing Kili's soiled clothing so he could get it hung to dry as soon as possible. Several pairs of concerned glances, especially Thorin's, eyed the stubborn bloodstains that refused to leave the woolen fabric despite his efforts. Balin tried to tell him that it was fine and perfectly usable, but the young dwarf would not be dissuaded and continued to scrub. It was a rather familiar sight for the thief, and he shook his head sadly.

_They won't come out, and he knows it. _

The former thief's mind briefly went back to Ered Luin, where Ori had dealt with the same dilemma on his own tunics more often than he cared to admit. His face was well known amongst the outlying towns, and not for the better. Hard times had befallen the dwarves of the Blue Mountains many a time since Ori was but a wee lad, and while Dori simply compensated by tailoring long into the night until his fingers were numb, Nori had resorted to thievery to put food on the table.

He had endured many countless arguments with Dori every time he came home battered, bloody, and occasionally escorted by officials from the villages of men with threats to his life should he ever dare to show his face in their company again. Relations between the two older brothers had become a bit strained over the past few years because of his chosen _profession_, though both attempted to put it aside for their youngest brother's sake. There wasn't much work for scribes to be had outside of a proper dwarf kingdom, and though the youngest dwarf was brilliant, he had been forced to take up the needle and thread as well to help feed his family instead of scholarly pursuits.

Nori had done what he could, stealing food and things he could sell for coin in an attempt to allow Ori the time to study dwarf lore, botany, cultures, alchemy, and languages as he desired, for the middle brother was terrible with a needle and had grown up learning little else from their tailor father. He supposed he could have gotten work in a forge or a mine, but with so many dwarves and little but coal, timber, and a wee bit of iron to be had, thievery had been far more profitable in terms of foodstuffs and coin to purchase wool and leather for clothing than attempting to find work many others of his kin also sought. And though he could use a washbasin as well, he found the task inexonerably tedious.

But, for all his indiscretions, he had never stolen from other dwarves. His reputation as a thief far preceded him, however, and Thorin and the others were fully aware of his questionable past. When he joined the company, he was worried that the dwarf king would not accept him amongst their ranks because of it. But Thorin had, as long as Nori vowed to cease thieving as long as he was under his king's employ. And truth be told, with his fourteenth share of the gold, thieving would easily be a thing of the past once the quest was finished.

But Nori would have joined the quest regardless of whether or not there was reward in the end, because his loyalty for the line of Durin was unfailing. When they first came to the Blue Mountains, destitute and hungry, Thorin had welcomed them warmly. It didn't take long before he saw the great and noble leader the son of Thrain was. Suspicious of humans he may be, and with good reason, but he would follow his king and his princes through fire and death if they asked him to. He glanced down at the clothing in his arms, then toward the woolen doorway, swallowing heavily once more as he thought of the young woman's injuries.

He had been just as shocked as the others when Kili had exited the troll cave with the young woman in his arms. The last thing they needed, he felt, was a human woman amongst the group, and a weak one at that. He was grateful for her actions outside of Rivendell, however he strongly suspected that mere luck was involved in that incident. But he still distrusted her. The stares, insults, and beatings endured at the hands of men were not lightly forgotten. And he, like Gloin, suspected her eyes were truly on the vast wealth inside the mountain, for Erebor's riches were well known throughout Middle-earth and it was evident from their first meeting that she clearly knew who Thorin was and his status amongst the group.

But after seeing her actions in Goblin Town, the thief's attitude toward her had changed dramatically. For her to be willing to keep the quest a secret, to stand up against someone twice her height and many times her weight, and endure a beating to spare his king and prince from being tortured-Nori could not believe it, and would not if he hadn't seen it for himself. He was a _thief_, for Durin's sake! He knew thieves, and when faced with such a situation, most thieves, especially human ones, would not hesitate to betray their companions and try to save their _own_ lives. It had happened to him many times before he finally decided it was best to work alone. No one in his thieving past ever attempted to protect those they tried to steal from! It would have been more advantageous for her to betray their quest in exchange for a part of the profits from the mountain, yet she did not do so. He was shocked, and he was humbled. For the first time in his life, a human had earned his respect.

And she paid dearly for it- the thief knew without a doubt that her wounds were badly infected the second he saw the filthy bandages. He had quickly done the task Thorin had given him- found dry clothes for the young prince, borrowed from Dwalin as they had all lost their packs when they fell into the mountain. The burly dwarf had compensated for the temporary loss of trousers and tunic by wrapping himself up in a thick woolen blanket in his long underwear and furs and sitting next to the fire, content to be there however long it took for the young dwarf's things to dry.

"Kili didn't mend these," the young scribe remarked, bringing the thief out of his thoughts. The dwarf king's gaze turned toward Ori as he held up the long underwear and pointed to the lines of white thread intricately woven through the gashes. "I've seen his stitching, and, begging your pardon Thorin, but it's terrible. This stitching isn't bad, but the style is very strange. I've never seen it before."

Thorin's brow furrowed, and he glanced at the slumbering dwarf. Nori glanced around his king's shoulder, and nodded. It was indeed a strange style, one that had never been used in Eriador as far as he knew, but the thief had more pressing problems on his mind than mending patterns and where the pair could have gotten thread and a needle in the wild. He cleared his throat awkwardly, causing Thorin's gaze to turn toward him.

"Are those the clothes for Kili?" Thorin asked, glancing down at the bundle in the thief's arms. Nori nodded, handing them off to Oin.

"Aye," he replied, avoiding Thorin's gaze. "Dwalin was more than happy to share his. They will be just a bit too long for him, and broad, though perhaps Dori can adjust them. Durin knows I'm no good with a needle."

"It does not matter," Thorin replied matter of factly. "He will only need them until his clothing is dry."

The elder suddenly frowned at the thief, who was nervously beginning to shift his weight from one foot to the other. The dwarf king's questioning gaze flickered to his now empty arms, then back up to his face.

"Nori?" he asked, and the thief hesitantly looked up, wishing the floor could swallow him whole. "Where is the rest?" Nori swallowed thickly.

"We...have a bit of a _problem,_" he whispered after a moment, glancing discreetly around at the others as they began to head toward their bedrolls. The dwarf king fixed his gaze on Nori. "I-I couldn't find anything for Cira."

"Why not?" Thorin replied as he uncrossed his arms, and the thief swallowed nervously, suddenly finding his boot fascinating. "Did no one offer theirs?"

"They did," Nori replied quickly, and Thorin nodded. "But, well, you see...there are only three people in our company similar to her in height. Everyone else is, erm, too short, and their things, well...they won't..._fit_. At least, not in length, and..."

The thief trailed off, desperately wishing there to be a better solution than the one he had swirling in his mind. Thorin's mind turned, the pieces of the puzzle quickly fitting into place as he fully realized Nori's predicament.

_Three people. _

Kili's height matched hers, but his sodden clothing was now hanging up to dry. Dwalin's height exceeded hers by nearly two inches, but his clothing was now on the slumbering Kili. That left...

The dwarf king's eyes met Nori's, and he could tell that the thief had come to the same realization as his own. Knowing full well that Nori wouldn't dare voice the results of his conclusion to him, the dwarf king simply clasped his shoulder and thanked him for his assistance before dismissing him for the night.

Nori nodded, gratefully accepting the dismissal as he headed toward his own makeshift bed. Thorin's gaze then turned toward the hanging woolen blanket in the doorway off to the side, where the sounds of rags being rinsed in water had subsided.

XXX

A pungent odor met his nostrils as he entered the makeshift sickroom, causing the dwarf king to reel a bit. Sweet honey warred with pungent garlic as the paste was thoroughly spread across the now clean wounds.

Gloin reached for more paste out of the wooden bowl as the wizard softly chanted, his wizened hand resting upon the young woman's brow. The soft lilt of a language long forgotten spread throughout the room, speaking of ages and memory forever drowned under the seas to the west.

The dwarf king watched in wonder as he spoke, the words foreign to his dwarvish heart. Yet despite that, he seemed to understand. Images floated through his mind, of tall beautiful beings under star, of light and life and peace. Of a land where no sickness dwelt, and death could not touch. There was a sense of timelessness about the room, as though they had left Middle-earth and suddenly dwelt in a place untainted by evil. He did not need to be told that the language being spoken was the most ancient and noble of the Elven tongue. He knew he should be disgusted, but for a brief moment it seemed impossible to not see the beauty within the wizard's soft words.

Gloin slid the wad of bandages underneath her limp form, winding them around until her wounds were covered with at least three layers of fabric, before tying it off. The wizard uttered the last of his spell, before removing his hand from her brow. Rising slowly to his feet as though he'd aged suddenly, he sighed.

"I have done all that I can," he said quietly, looking to Thorin. "It is out of our hands now."

The dwarf king nodded, before glancing to his cousin.

"Get some rest," he ordered as Gandalf left the room. "Dawn will be here soon enough." Gloin nodded, yawning.

"Do you have her clothes?" he asked, sleepiness evident in his tired eyes. Thorin nodded, and the red haired dwarf brushed past him, heading for his bedroll. As he reached the door, the dwarf king turned around, meeting his gaze.

"Thank you, cousin," he said quietly, and the tired dwarf nodded.

"You're very welcome," he said, before exiting the room. Thorin watched the woolen blanket quiver with the motion, before becoming still. The last rays of light had sunk behind the mountains to the west, and the small room was now only lit with a handful of rolled beeswax candles spread throughout the space.

His eyes landed on the still prone form, and the woolen blanket draped over her. Eyes trailing over the woven yarn, he was relieved to note that no gaps to speak of were present. Gaze landing on her once more, the words Nori had spoken ran through his mind.

_There are only three people in our company similar to her in height. _

Thorin sighed, before reaching toward the clothing she was to borrow for the night.

XXX

Cirashala felt like she was frozen, and yet on fire at the same time. Flames seemed to jump on her back, burning her. Yet she remained alive despite the overwhelming pain. How was she still alive?

Everything hurt- her hand, her legs, her back. Stars seemed to explode in her eyes. She wanted to cry out, to scream as the pain threatened to tear her apart. Yet she could not make a single sound in the darkness.

But suddenly, the pain began to subside. Darkness faded until her eyes beheld the most beautiful sight she'd ever seen. Meadows of soft grass rippled at her feet as a soft, warm breeze blew. She could see for miles in any direction, and her eyes beheld wondrous views.

Trees extended to the north, their silvery leaves rustling in the wind. To the south, the trees proudly shone their yellow foliage. Not forests, she realized- two trees, one on either end. The silvery leafed tree emitted a cool light that seemed to rest on the surrounding land. The golden one shone with a very bright light, its rays reaching to the furthest ends of her sight and illuminating the world before her.

Soft singing reached her ears. She could not understand the words, but their beauty reached deep within her and held her entranced. Stars twinkled overhead despite the light, millions of tiny diamonds in a deep, dark sky. She had never seen so many stars.

Peace seemed to surround her, the weight of the burdens and grief upon her shoulders dissipating. The air smelled sweet, the scent of the grasses and the distant ocean mingling with the clean, crisp air. She was neither hot nor cold, and the white dress she wore fluttered in the breeze.

It was a bit large for her, but it was warm and very comfortable. She had never been so comfortable. The young woman began to feel sleep claiming her as the warmth settled into her bones, and she slowly closed her eyes, relishing in the beauty surrounding her until a pleasant darkness settled in once more.

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**A response to guest reviewer SMCB: Wow- I'm glad you liked it so much that you sacrificed sleep for it! :D**

**A response to guest reviewer Ri-chan-I hope you had a Merry Christmas too! :)**

**A response to guest reviewer ****legolin12: Don't worry, explanations will happen! ;)**

**A response to guest reviewer ****Chartie: ****You are very welcome! I hope you've read it by now, and enjoyed this chapter as well!**

**A ****response to guest reviewer GreyGryph: I'm glad you liked the accuracy! I don't like it when I read stories where it's completely improbable, if not downright impossible, for someone to survive certain types of wounds. And with those in the family who work in medicine, it certainly helps! I love honey, and garlic, and mint, and all these other wonderful natural remedies for things! **

**A response to guest reviewer Kaia- Yeah, it's not going to be easy to hear. I doubt they'll say every single little thing that happened, and I'm honestly not certain if it will come up in conversation with the group as a whole- maybe with Fili, but I don't think the entire group will be privy to it. I had the thought that it's more of a personal thing to Kili, and I'll probably end up working that detail to that end :) I won't say more via guest review responses simply so that others aren't spoiled, but if you want you can pm me and I can let you know what my thoughts were regarding that in more detail :)**

**A response to guest reviewer Ari- I'm glad! I'm also excited (and relieved) to be able to finally update! Thanks a lot for sticking with it- I'm really glad you did :) Thank you so much for the compliments! As I said to someone else above, every single little detail won't likely end up being told to the whole company, but more of their story will come out and I hope you like the progression of it :) And I agree- the two were never meant to be separated! **

**A response to guest reviewer Samantha- Here's your update (my apologies for the delay). I hope you're still reading :)**

**A response to guest reviewer Rissa- I'm sorry for the wait, but real life is crazy (see author's note at beginning of chapter). To answer your questions, I'll go in order (and don't be upset with spoilers- I forewarn people that if they ask, they shall get :) 1. Yes, eventually, but not for quite some time, 2. You'll have to wait and see lol ;), and 3. NOPE- that's not going to happen (and I for one despise love triangles anyway). Dwarves only love once, so it's impossible for him to love someone else romantically now that he's fallen in love with Cira. However, said character will still be in the story, just altered a bit to fit in with what I think said character should have been (and what said character was at first, until said character got royally screwed up later, which I'm still mad about). **

**A response to guest reviewer Guest (first one)- Thank you! I'm glad you thought so :) I prefer realistic stories myself to ones that are so fake it's ridiculous. And technically this is part two ;) But I get what you mean :) **

**A response to guest reviewer Guest (second one)- Thanks! I just write it as I "see" it in my mind :) Thanks for being so patient- real life has kicked me pretty good lately :( **

**A response to guest reviewer Guest (third one)- Here's the update :) I hope you lived long enough to get it ;P**

**A response to guest reviewer Emma- ****Thanks! Here's the update- sorry it was so late in coming :( **

**T****hanks to all who review, favorite, and follow- you guys have been so loyal and I am honored that you have enjoyed the story so much! :D :D :D**


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